News & Resources

Top 5 Things to Watch

4 Feb 2024

OMAHA (DTN) -- Here are the Top 5 things the DTN Newsroom is tracking for the week of Feb. 4. Watch for coverage of these and other topics through the week on our subscription platforms as well as on www.DTNPF.com.

All times listed below are in Central Standard Time (CST) unless otherwise mentioned.

1. WASDE Thursday: USDA's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and Crop Production reports are due out at 11 a.m. Our preview of the report will hit Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the release of analyst estimates. On Thursday we will have WASDE numbers immediately after the reports are released, followed by updates with commentary and market reactions throughout the morning. DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman will then discuss the report and its ramifications, and answer your questions, during our post-report webinar at 12:30 p.m. To register for the free webinar go here: https://www.dtn.com/….

2. Warmth hangs in: The unseasonably warm weather will continue to eat away at the snowpack in the Midwest through this week. Temperatures will be well-above normal east of the Rockies and cooler in the West through next weekend. Another storm will move out of the West and into the Plains during the middle of the week with another loading up in the Southwest for late week and weekend. Models differ on the development and impact of these two storms, so stay tuned through the week. You can catch updates of major weather activities in the U.S. and across the globe with our daily Market Weather Outlook here: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

3. State ag conversations: We'll cover the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, happening in Washington, D.C. This meeting has become the place where potential ag policies come to gather steam. The farm bill, labor and immigration issues and food safety are all on the agenda.

4. Eyes on South America: It's become a bit repetitive, but with grains markets softening we continue to watch how the South American crops are developing. Updates on that will possibly supersede the WASDE numbers in terms of market influence. See the most recent blog about Argentina weather and crops at https://www.dtnpf.com/… by DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

5. Economic reports to watch: Monday, the S & P Services PMI report is at 8:45 a.m. Weekly grain inspections are out at 10 a.m.; at 2 p.m. the Dairy Products report hits. On Wednesday we'll watch for U.S. trade deficit numbers at 7:30 a.m., while at 10 a.m. the EAI's weekly petroleum reports are out, including ethanol and gasoline statistics. At 2 p.m. both the Consumer Credit report and broiler hatchery reports are released. On Thursday, both the U.S. export sales report and Initial Jobless Claims will be out at 7:30 a.m. Wholesale Inventories reports are at 9 a.m., the weekly Economic Index will be out at 10:30 a.m., and of course the February WASDE hits at 11 a.m. Friday sees with the CPI seasonal factor revisions report out at 7:30 a.m.

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